Jane
by claire97
Summary: Jane Parker is desperately searching for her brother, Jackson, and is convinced men wearing pin striped suits are to blame for his disappearance four years prior. However, what happens when she attracts the attention of the wrong people...
1. Chapter 1

Jane Parker stared at the man before her. He wasn't a bad man, necessarily. Still, he was causing her quite a bit of trouble. Jane was only fifteen, but

appeared to be much older. For one thing she was tall and carried herself as an adult would. For another, she observed the world in a sharp, intellectual

way that intimidated many. Detective Robertson was no exception. He was a stout man, fitting the typical 'lazy cop' stereotype. Had he contained less jelly

rolls he could have appeared to be related to Jane. He had the same ginger hair, cold blue eyes, and milky skin as she. Still, his eyes were more innocent

than hers, surprising as he was the Detective and she was the child. Yet, Jane had seen and experienced far more than any child should. She pulled a photo

from her old, leather bag on the floor beside her and slammed it onto the table. Curious, Robertson inspected it. The photo showed a tall man wearing a

regal pinstriped suit and carrying a briefcase in one hand, a large bag slung over his shoulder walking through a pleasant park with a statue of Bernard

Shaw in the background. Peering closer, it was obvious the bag was full. If fact, had it of not been impossible he could have sworn the tip of a small human

hand stuck out. "What is this?" He inquired. Jane raised an eyebrow. "This photo was taken on September 6, 2006 by a photographer trying to capture the

statue in the background there. See this?" She gestured to the hand like object poking out of the bag. Robertson nodded hesitantly. "The photographer was

named Cole Williams. He went to the police upon suspecting that a human was in the bag. A child by the size of the possible hand. Not very surprisingly,

She shot him a withering glare, "the police paid no heed. Still, apparently he caught the attention of whoever was behind this. Two days later he

disappeared without a trace." Robertson sighed, knowing where she was going with this. She looked at him. "Tell me there is no connection." He steadily

met her gaze. "There is no connection." Angrily, she slammed her hand down on the table. "My brother was taken by men wearing pinstriped suits and

carrying briefcases!" He sighed heavily, something he noticed himself doing a lot during her visits. As just stated, this wasn't Jane Parker's first visit to the

missing person's department. In fact, it was her third. Each time she insisted the case of her brother's, Jackson Parker's, disappearance be reopened due to

new leads. Robertson pitied the girl, he really did. After her second visit he had dug up some things about her past via contacting Social Services. Among

them was the number of a therapist she had once visited. Dr. Kendrick had told him that Jane suffered from severe Post Traumatic Stress and had made up

the tale of her brother's kidnapping. It was true that four years ago he had vanished without a trace; still he had likely only departed on some trip. Jackson

was fine, everyone was sure of it. Well, everyone except Jane. "Jane, please, calm yourself." Angrily she complied, or tried to. "Please, just look into the

case." Robertson huffed and folded his hands. "So, let's just say what you're proposing is true. Men in suits have kidnapped your brother and at least one

other child at least two years ago, at most four. What do you propose I do?" For the first time Jane showed brief signs of nerves. Jane knew she was going

to sound crazy. There was a 99.9 percent chance no one would give her theory a second thought, it was too ridiculous. Yet, she owed it to her brother, the

only family she had left. She owed it to those tickle fights and nights star gazing on the roof. Taking a deep breath she pulled another paper from her bag.

Actually, it was a pamphlet; a pamphlet for the _Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened_. Robertson had heard of the institute, everyone had. The place

was supposed to be one of the best schools in the world before it shut down due to 'mysterious circumstances' two months prior. The former school's

founder, Mr. Curtain, had disappeared. Yes, it was suspicious. Still, Robertson never thought much of it. No one did. Opening the pamphlet she showed it to

him and pointed to a picture. _Oh sugar, she can't be thinking what I think she is! _Robertson groaned inwardly. The picture she was pointing showed two

men in pinstriped suits standing beside a guard tower outside the Institute, smiling as if they had not a care in the world. "Tell me there is no connection.

The institute opened in April of 2004. After that there were thirty four separate instances of child disappearance in Stonetown alone. Only four cases were

properly investigated, all leading to cold trails. Two months ago the Institute shut down. At least one of the missing children earlier mentioned returned

from the Institute with no memory of being taken! You can really look me in the eye and say this is all some coincidence!" Robertson pursed his lips. "How

do you know all this?" "It isn't so hard to find if you know where to look." He blinked, surprised. _This girl would make a good detective_, He thought. "I'm

sorry, Ms. Parker, but even if your story had an ounce of logic to it, it's been four years since your brother disappeared. There's nothing more we can do."

Rage clouded Jane's vision. Talking to people these days was like talking to brick walls. "What about all the other children!" She all but shrieked. It was

true, over the course of her investigation she had grown to care for all of the children who had disappeared, not just Jackson. Several people were looking

over in their direction now. "Ms. Parker, I'm going to have to ask you to keep your voice down." How he could stay so calm marveled Jane. Did he not have

an empathetic bone in his body? Did any of these people? "No, why should I? You all act like I'm the loon when you refuse to do your job! These are kids

we are talking about! Can't you take four hours away to look into the Institute and Curtain? No! Of course not; because **you don't care**!" Before anyone

could retaliate Jane had shoved her belongings back into her bag and briskly walked out the door, the echoing slam of the door and the aghast faces of the

many Detectives being the only noticeable signs that she had been there at all. Only, there was another sign, which no one noticed. Carl Reeves stood in

the far back corner, a part of the furniture as always. He was a tall man with dark, shaggy hair, an unusually thick mustache and unnaturally green eyes.

Watching the girl leave he slowly pulled out his sleek, black mobile phone and hit the number one. Putting the phone to his ear he murmured, "It's Reeves. Put McCracken on."


	2. Chapter 2

Milligan was having a good day off until that unfortunate phone call. He was at the farm spending some much needed quality time with his daughter, playing extreme catch. Then, at around three o' clock the phone call came in. It was from Hardy, one of his trusted sentries.

"Excuse me, Kate." Walking off and being sure she was not eavesdropping he picked up.

"Milligan!"

"Hardy what's-

"Ten men in the city, we're trying to apprehend them but Gristle and Joe are already hurt and we're way out numbered."

"What are they after?"

"We don't know! Listen, we need you, now! The docks, I'll text you the coordinates, here they come, hurry!" Milligan hung up and ran inside to grab his equipment.

"Milligan! Dad!" Kate came running in. "Good gravy, what's going on?"

"Ten men in the city, look go tell Moocho, and stay inside, alright!" Giving her a quick peck on the cheek he ran off, driving well over the speed limit in their old truck towards the dreaded docks while Kate stood still, nervous for her only biological family left.

Jane walked along the docks with eyes burning from tears unshed. It wasn't fair. Sure, she knew life wasn't, but hadn't she been through enough? Angrily she kicked a rock towards a metal crate, making a loud bang. "Hey!" Around the corner came a man, immediately making Jane nervous. He was tall, to broad shouldered for his shirt, with brown hair and friendly eyes. "What you doing down here alone, missy?" Jane shrugged, struggling to grip onto a believable lie. "Names Cannonball, well Joe's my real name."

"Jane."

"Jane-?"

"Just Jane." She said firmly, not wanting to give this strange man too much information.

"You a runaway?"

"Why do you care?" He was saved from answering by voices talking. For some reason Jane's nerves stood on end.

"Chickie was said to be spotted down here." Acting on pure instinct for survival Jane grabbed Joe, or Cannonball and shoved him behind a storage container just as two men wearing pin striped suits and carrying briefcases came around the corner. "Where is the little brat?"

"Relax Crawlings, this duck ought to be easy pickings." Cannonball's eyes widened. _I need a plan_, Jane thought. _They've obviously come for me._ And in that instant it came to her. She reached into Cannonball's pocket and grabbed his cell phone. "Distract them." Then she ran off.

"What was that?" Crawlings asked. Startled Cannonball emerged.

"Hello gentlemen, may I assist you?"

"No." They tried to roughly brush past him but Cannonball stood his ground. "Move." One of the men snarled, eyes black with hidden rage and evil.

"You need authorization to get past this part of the docks." Cannonball sensed that these men were evil and dangerous. Yet, he knew that girl was in trouble and was willing to do what was necessary to protect a child. The men looked at each other. One of them pulled out his pocket cloth. "Well, I suppose we should be going then, eh, Crawlings?" Crawlings looked confused. "But- The other man shot him a silencing look. Simultaneously they turned around and took a step in the opposite direction. _Phew_, Cannonball thought. _That was easier than I thought it would be. Maybe too easy…._Lost in thought he was far too easy to be taken down. Swiftly turning on his well polished heal the second ten man swung the pocket cloth onto Cannonball's nose, knocking him flat in seconds due to the heavy narcotics it was soaked in. His last conscious thought was, _I hope Jane will be alright._

Jane was in fact alright at the moment, hiding in the far corner of the docks. Once convinced she was safe for a moment she pulled out the cell phone and dialed 9-1-1. "Let's just hope the police do their job for once." She muttered.

"9-1-1 what's your emergency?" A woman's voice came over the phone.

Jane tried her best to sound breathy and scared. "Hello, hello, I'm down by the docks and there are these men in suits with guns loading bags onto a boat. I think I saw some white powder. And coffee."

"Alright miss, try to evacuate the area we have help on the way." Satisfied Jane hung up knowing that while trying to find drug smugglers the men in suits would be apprehended. White powder was cocaine and the coffee was used by drug smugglers to conceal the smell from the dogs. Then, she got up and ran, ducking behind storage crates, looking out for more men. _I need to get higher up. _"Here chickie, chickie!" _Oh no _Like ghosts two men in pin striped suits emerged, different from the last ones. One was tall, with ice blue eyes and slick brown hair. The other was tall, wearing glasses, and had a rather bat-like face. Muttering a profanity Jane took off, the men hot on her heels.

Hardy got the call from a nervous sounding young man who apparently called himself a police officer. "Hello?" His shaky voice sounded.

"Who is this?"

"Officer Seth Brown, sir, I was told to call this number if I ever saw men wearing suits and carrying brief cases engaging in suspicious activity on the job-

Hardy stiffened, immediately on high alert. "Where are you?"

"The docks-

"Don't try to engage them in combat, understood? We'll be there soon."

"But-

Hardy hung up and ran from his post guarding the front yard of the Benedict household straight to Mr. Benedict's study where the great man himself was to be found on the floor reading.

"Hardy-I see something is amiss."

"Sir we have good reason to believe ten men are in the city." Mr. Benedict fell asleep.

Milligan arrived at the docks and immediately saw a group of ten men, narrowly avoiding being spotted. Running along he looked for any clues, any reason for them being here. Then, he saw the man, lying on his back, knocked out. He looked like a sailor caught in the crossfire. Milligan hurried over to him, intending to get him out of the open when the man stirred. "Wha'"

"Can you tell me what happened?" Milligan said quickly.

"These men in suits they knocked me out they-they were after Jane." Milligan stiffened.

"Jane?"

Cannonball sat straight up. "A kid. She ran off. I don't know where- He was interrupted by an earsplitting scream.

Jane's lungs were threatening to give out. It had only been three minutes at the most yet even at her absolute top speed the men were right on her heals and not even out of breath. And then a heavy body slammed hers to the ground. Jane let out an earsplitting scream, fighting and clawing unsuccessfully at her captors face. "Now, now chickie, let's not make a fuss. Just sit still." "Let me go!" She screamed. "Um, let me think about it, no." He pulled out his pocket cloth and wrenched Jane's head to the ground by her hair, giving her awful whiplash. "Now- The man abruptly fell unconscious.

"Hey!" His partner yelled only to also fall a moment later. Shoving the heavy man's body off of her Jane stood to see her savior, Milligan, tranquilizer gun cocked. Logic told Jane this man was probably a friend, after all he was clearly an enemy of the briefcase men. Still, she could not stand to trust anyone right then and decided in a split second running was probably safer. So she ran.

"Hey, wait! I'm a friend!" The man yelled, racing after her every bit as quickly as the briefcase men. As before it was not long before he caught up to her, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her struggling form to his chest.

"LET ME GO!" She screamed, unsuccessfully fighting. Milligan held on tight, however, not letting her get loose by an inch.

"Hey, hey. Calm down, I'm not going to hurt you, I'm a friend, I want to help you." It took several minutes for Jane to calm herself but at last she collapsed into his embrace, exhausted. "There we go." Milligan said, trying to sound soothing. This girl was obviously scared silly. "Now, I'm going to let you go, don't run, okay?" She nodded. Cautiously he released her. Much to his relief she didn't try to run and instead turned to face him.

"Who are you?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"My name is Milligan." The man said. Jane furrowed her brow.

"That's an odd name." The man smiled a bit.

"I'm Jane."

"I know." Startled she frowned, thinking of running now. Milligan obviously sensed this because he quickly held up his hands in the universal sign of surrender. "The sailor told me." Relaxing she nodded. "Do you know who those men were?" He asked.

"No."

"You're lying." Her face became cold as stone and Milligan sighed. "I can help you, if you'll let me."

"I don't need any help." She tersely replied. He raised an eyebrow.

"It sure looked like you did just a minute ago." She opened her mouth to retort and then, finding she couldn't, snapped it shut. "I'm afraid you'll have to come with me." She took a step back.

"You have no grounds to force me to go anywhere with you."

"Actually, in the interest of keeping you safe and alive, I do." Jane swallowed. "Come on Jane, you must be smart enough to know that more men will be coming for you." Jane had of course realized this and she had realized how unprotected she was. Still, this certainly did not mean that she bestowed any trust in the man who saved her. She knew better than that. All the same, going with him was the most plausible option, as much as she hated to admit it. She nodded. Milligan smiled a bit.

"My car's over this way, just let me radio in real quick." He pulled out a radio saying, "All clear men, report back to the Benedict household immediately." Several yes sirs came and then the radio was put away. The two walked over to Milligan's old beat up truck and entered, driving away- meeting the speed limit this time. There was no conversation throughout the incredibly awkward drive. At last, however, they arrived at the Benedict household, a quaint three story property with a red shingled roof and ivy towering the walls. They climbed out and slowly approached the house, walking in the front door and closing it. Jane was shocked to find herself in an entirely black room. The door had mysteriously disappeared into the wall. Before her were three other doorways all leading into pitch black abyss.

"Which way do we go?" She asked. Milligan grinned.

"Try to figure it out." Jane analytically studied the room finding nothing of interest besides a set of paneled arrows of different colors, three straight and one wiggly. She walked over to them, investigating them, feeling them. _The clear choice would be the wiggly arrow_, she thought. _It's the only one different from the rest in texture. But maybe that's too easy. _She closed her eyes in thought and that was when it hit her.

"It is the wiggly arrows!"

"Wow that was fast." Milligan stated, impressed. Jane smiled a bit and walked through the maze confidently reaching a staircase. The two walked up to the second floor of the house and then down a long hallway to a door.

"Mr. Benedict." Milligan called.

"Come in, Milligan." A kind voice replied. The door was opened to reveal an older man in a green plaid suit sitting cross legged on the floor. His hair was white and mused and his face was rather sloppily shaven. He was a queer sight indeed. His eyes looked surprised as they took in Jane, his mind clearly trying to put together the puzzle of her being there.

"Hello my dear, my name is Mr. Benedict."

"Jane." Like Cannonball he paused for a moment, awaiting a last name, but quickly caught on. Mr. Benedict turned to Milligan questioningly.

"The Ten Men were after her." He explained. Eyes troubled he nodded.

"Do you have any legal guardians we should notify?" Mr. Benedict asked, kindly.

"No." Was Jane's hard response.

"A place to stay?"

"No."

"I see. Please pardon my asking, but have you any notion as to why the Ten Men were after you?"

Milligan looked to Jane, curious if she would answer.

"I'd rather not say." Was her only response. Milligan awkwardly cleared his throat.

"Mr. Benedict, have any of my men arrived?" He nodded.

"They're in the dining room with Rhonda and Number Two."

"Well, I'd best brief them on the situation, if you don't mind."

"Not at all." Milligan then took his leave.

"Jane," Mr. Benedict began, "I understand that you don't trust us and that's quite alright. But, as much as I hate to press you, it is important that you share any knowledge you have with us, for your own protection."

She narrowed her eyes. "No disrespect, sir, but I do believe I shall be leaving now." She realized how daft and stubborn she was being but right then she didn't care.

"Jane, you know I can't let you leave. It's not safe." She squeezed her eyes shut in frustration.

"I know."

"Jane, those men are profound enemies of ours. We're on the same side." There was a moment of silence. Then another. Jane's mind was awhirl, desperately wondering if she should trust someone with this. After all, it hadn't worked out so well the other times she had. Finally though, she nodded.

"I don't know how they found me. They were after me because I was on to them. I know about Mr. Curtain using them to kidnap children." Mr. Benedict fell asleep. Jane gasped, rushing to his side, wondering if she had somehow killed him until he began to snore. _Old people._ She stared at him for a while, wondering what on earth was wrong with him, when his eyes abruptly opened. She gasped, heart pounding, scrambling away.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. How long was I asleep?"

"Only a minute or two."

"Yes. Well, I believe you should know that I suffer from a condition called narcolepsy. Are you familiar with it?" She shook her head. "In a nutshell it causes me to fall into unexpected bouts of sleep when experiencing heightened emotion. But please, continue."

"Yes well, I went to the police about this and they of course did nothing but I guess somehow I caught the attention of the wrong people."

"How did you discover this?"

"They kidnapped my brother."

His eyes grew more troubled than before. "He hasn't returned to you?"

"No."

"What was his name?"

"Jackson." Mr. Benedict swallowed hard. "You know where he is, don't you?"

"Why don't you take a seat. This explanation may take some time." As Jane sat Mr. Benedict began to tell the story that likely brought you hear, everything from his original discovery of Mr. Curtain's messages to the Mysterious Benedict Society to the shutdown of the institute and return of many children's memories. Jane sat silent, deep in thought throughout it all. It did not dismay her much when she heard of her brother's behavior. He had been pretty far gone even before he was kidnapped. She couldn't blame him, not with the way he had grown up.


End file.
